OCR Text |
Show H PARCEL POST AND OUR MERCHANT B J Ono of our neighboring editors, in whom wo BBj j uavo the utmost conlldence has niado n vory thor- H ! ough investigation of the effect of tho now parcel BBj I post on our homo merchants. In answer to the H i question, "Will the new law hurt tho home mer- BB! chant," ho says: IB ( "While tho plan was under consideration in H Congress it had to meet tno solid opposition of re- H j tailors' organizations. Their enmity was based on B j tho theory that tho parcels post would prove an BB !! Imnicnso advantago to tho big mall order houses. Now that tho now delivery system has becomo n fact, tho wlso country merchant Is preparing to H make tho baso of It. In investigating his oppor- B tunlty tinder tho now law tho country merchant H i finds that the best gives promlso of being not half H bad. H "Whatever tho big mall order houso may have B hoped for in tho way of advantage under the flat B rato, tho zono system finally adopted gives a die- i tlnct advantago to tho local retailor. Instead of hurting him It really ought to bo of sorvico to him. Tho bargain rato of tho wholo systora is the rato between tho rural delivery center nnd all points , on tho outlying routes. Tho final routes get the H j local rate. That Is to say, a packago will bo Utk- BB I 'en to any point on a rural routo for tho Bamo rate H Jj paid for tho delivery of packages within tho town H limits. This local rato Is five cents for the rirnt B pound, and ono cent a pound for tho other ton BB An cloven pound packago at tho local rato would BB bo delivered for fifteen cents. When you locate the B . delivery of tho packago at tho far end of n country H routo It offers tho best packago delivery bargain H ! offered In this country. While tho country town H' merchant Is getting this local bargain rato tho big H I mall order houso Is paying n high rato that In- H creases in proportion to tho distnnco of tho houae B from its patron. Tho country" merchant not only H' has an advantage In tho rate, but hlB natural ad- BB' vantages in tlmo is materially nuginented. Tho mral BB telephone Is now tho concomitant of tho ruwl H route. Whoro both aro avnllablo all that is re- H 9 quired Is a llttlo forethought In early ordering and BB j goods may be delivered from town on tho samo day I the order Is phoned In. B I "Apparently all that Is needed on tho pavt nf H ' the country merchant Is a llttlo enterprlso in Ml- H llzlng the facilities afforded him. In this direction H ( advertising in tho local papers would seem to bo BB I! his long suit. Up-to-snuff merchants in a small B t town can get up juBt ns attractive an advertise- H ' , ment prices nnd all bb any of tho catalogue B j. houses. Many in them havo been doing It regit- H ' lnrly in this territory, nnd oven without dellvory B advantages, and havo found llttlo dlillculty In bold- B i , ing business In competition with tho far away mall H order house. Advertising, of course will not count BBj for much unless tho merchant keeps In stock tho H (! kind of goods his patrons call for, With goods H jj suited to tho needs of his community, tho nowspa- B i per advertisement to nttract attention to his wares H nnd prices, tho rural mall delivery to tnke his ad- H J vertlscment to his customers, tho telephone io B J trnnsmlt tho order nnd tho parcels poHt to deliver fl It, wim can say tho country merchant hasn't a com- H J blnntlon that must bo hard to beat? With that fl i combination on his side tho country merchant that BBj ' lotH the bulk of the orders from his territory go BB jj fnr nway. catalogue houses will not bo Justified H In blnmlng Congress for his Inability to transact fl j n profitable business." |